On a Winters Night
by handymans muse
Summary: Santa Claus s having some trouble, but maybe the castle-occupants are able to help him... 4-chaptered-story including most of our beloved RH-figures. Just some fluff that blurted out of my mind lately... R&R, please!
1. Chapter 1

_Hello there! This is a little Christmas-story that just arouse out of my mind.  
I don`t know if Saint Nicolas` Day means anything to you, but at my place it does. That`s why I decided to publish the first chapter of my new Christmas-story today. _

_**Explanation: **In Germany the Christmas-time is celebrated a little different. The children got their presents the day before Boxing Day. In our culture the children sometimes meet Santa Claus at Dec. 24. Then they have to sing a Christmas-song or recite a poem. If it`s good, then they will get their presents - if it`s not, then... well.  
In my story, no one has to sing a song or do something like this, but the children in my story will get their presents from Santa Claus personally. So don`t be surprised! _

_R&R, please! _

_

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**On a winter`s night **

„Faster, faster," Columbia squealed and beamed with joy.  
Eddie tried to run as fast as he could, dragging the sledge behind him. The vehicle lurched alarmingly from side to side, but the groupie didn`t care. She just enjoyed every second outside the castle.  
The last few days the snow had been falling continuously and now the earth`s surface was covered with tons of that white and beautiful splendour.

Directly behind the couple Rocky dragged another sledge behind him.  
Frank was sitting there like a queen on a royal wintery horse-drawn carriage ride, wrapped up warmly. He didn`t smile, but his eyes were wide open as he was staring at the winter scene in astonishment and awe.  
The last days he had spent inside the lab, so he didn`t recognise the change of the weather at first. He only noticed that the sun was no longer peering through the glass dome roof. He didn`t really care, but he mentally blamed his handyman for this occurrence.  
Frank turned around with some effort which was caused by plies of woollen blankets and tried to catch a glimpse at his servant. No, there was no handyman to be seen, but he could hear some yelling from far behind.

A mile behind the others, Riff Raff – the handyman – stumbled and fell head first down into the snow.  
"Oh, Riff Raff put your backs into it!" Magenta was also sitting on a sledge, arms crossed in front of her chest. It was obvious that she was not overly excited about the whole charade.  
"We have to catch up with the others! Or do you know how to get out of this maze of trees and spinney?"  
Riff Raff gave up cleaning himself and took the string. Without a further word or look he proceeded with dragging the sledge through several centimetres deep snow.

Shortly after, that seemed to be like hours, they caught up with the others.  
"Nice you get here that fast," Frank glared at them, arms crossed. "Then we can go down this hummock now."  
He smiled slightly and motioned his head. Riff Raff followed his gesture and held his breath. Now Frank grinned evilly.  
The hummock Frank was talking about turned out to be a real snow-capped mountain!  
"Let`s go!" Eddie shouted out and a second later he and Columbia speeded down the hill.  
Rocky chuckled and grabbed the sledge Frank was sitting on. He pushed it with all his force and hopped onto it behind Frank. Soon there was nothing more to be seen of them both except a white tail.  
"Well?" Magenta asked and looked questioningly at her brother.  
Riff Raff hung his head and shook it slightly, but then he followed suit.


	2. Chapter 2

_Actually, I didn`t want to upload the next chapter that fast, but tonight is the third Advent. I`m still working on my story "The secret - Part III", but I still want to keep you in a good mood_.  
_So enjoy and review! _

_**opheliafrump: **Your reviews are balm to me! Thank you! I hope your last review won`t stand alone for long :) _

_

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As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

Soon all of the castle-occupants arrived at the bottom of the hill.  
Now, Columbia and Eddie were rolling around in the snow, laughing and giggling all the time. Frank and Rocky were still sitting on the sledge. Rocky had put his arms around Frank and was now only enjoying the embrace. Riff Raff had left his seat as soon as he and Magenta had been coming to a halt. He still felt uneasy about the whole thing.  
Magenta on her part rose slowly, staring straight ahead.  
"What`s that?" she asked curiously and pointed over to a tree.  
"Hmm?" Columbia stopped giggling and wiped some snow off her face. Then she looked into the direction and her eyes widened.  
"Good gracious!" she shouted out and stood. Then she walked slowly towards the tree, followed by a still curious Magenta, who in turn was followed by a likewise curious Riff Raff.

"Santa Claus?" Columbia cautiously asked and tilted her head to the side.  
Magenta and Riff Raff joined her from behind.  
"What`s that?" Magenta repeated and narrowed her eyes.  
A heap of red clothes was lying under the tree.  
"That`s Santa Claus!" Columbia said and bent down.  
Magenta and Riff Raff exchanged looks and Riff Raff shrugged his shoulders.  
"What is that... _Santa Claus_?" Magenta decided to not give up that fast.  
Columbia looked slowly up to her.  
"You can`t be serious! Everyone knows Santa Claus!"  
With that she shook her head in disbelief and turned again to that red heap.  
"Hey, Santa Claus, wake up!" she carefully shook the heap. "Hey, wake up!"  
"Hmmm... _%#*!%~&#_!" the heap grumbled but didn`t move.  
"Ugh! You`re smelling like a distillery!" Columbia backed away and wrinkled her nose.  
Then she grabbed some snow, removed some of the red clothes and put the snow right into the figure`s face.  
"Arrghh!" the figure suddenly came back to life and opened his reddened eyes, trying to look at Columbia. "Oh, my little Snow Queen!" he slurred and cracked a smile. Well, maybe he cracked a smile. It was a little difficult to notice, because it couldn`t be seen through this maze of white curly hair of the beard.  
"Hmpf... were... where am I?" the figure stumbled and looked around.  
"Er... and... and _who_ am I?" he looked questioningly back at Columbia.  
"What?" Columbia fell back down into the snow and her eyes widened in disbelief. "You... you are SANTA CLAUS!"  
The white-bearded blinked in confusion. "I am... _what_?"  
"YOU... ARE... SANTA CLAUS!" Columbia repeated as if talking to a deaf little child.

"Holy Moons!" Frank suddenly screamed from behind and pointed to the wood.  
Columbia, Magenta and Riff Raff turned around and looked into the direction.  
Three animals were standing there, gawping at them with a moronic look, slowly chewing something seemingly inedible.  
"The reindeer!" Columbia squealed and again Magenta and Riff Raff exchanged uncertain looks.  
The Columbia turned her attention back to the red figure.  
"You have to distribute the presents to the children tonight!" she said emphatically.  
Magenta and Riff Raff had never heard her speaking in such a serious voice before. For them it was all just too curious.  
"I... I don`t know..." the figure stammered then fell to the side and started to snore.  
"Hey!" Columbia shook it. "Hey, wake up!"  
No reaction.  
Columbia gave it up and rose. Then she started slowly walking around, chewing her fingernails in deep thoughts.  
Magenta and Riff Raff followed her in a close distance like puppy dogs, always watching her every move.

This procedure lasted for quite some minutes, but finally Columbia stopped unexpectedly so Magenta and Riff Raff bumped into the groupie.  
"I got it!" Columbia turned and smiled.  
"You got _what_?" Frank asked a little bored.  
"I know how we could help Santa Claus and all the little children."  
With that she looked at Frank.

"For this Christmas you will be Santa Claus!"


	3. Chapter 3

_I heard you screaming for more, so **hoopla! **here it comes! _

_**Azzi Turner **(sorry, but the system won`t let me write your name properly)**, Emily**__**, Magenta-and-Riff **and of course my beloved **opheliafrump**: __thank you all for your lovely reviews! I was totally surprised by your reactions and it made me thinking about my story. Actually it was just some fluff... _**  
**_Because of your reviews I had to change a few lines, but I have to admit that I still didn`t really focus on __our beloved actors`clothing. Nevertheless, I still hope you enjoy the last two chapters! _

_Now enjoy and review (if you want) :)_

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"I beg your pardon, my little _snow-queen_," Frank became indignant, "but you want _me _to... _metamorphose _into an overweight clown with an apparently defective razor?"

Columbia looked at him with puppy-dog eyes.  
"... but it is for the children," she said in a pleading voice, but Frank just wrinkled his nose.  
"You... you don`t really have to look or dress like him," Columbia added hesitantly and gestured to the red heap of clothes that was still snoring quite peacefully and quite forcefully under the tree.  
"Well... alright then," Frank agreed due to a tinge of an unfamiliar feeling. Maybe this was the Christmas-feeling Columbia had always been talking about?

Frank didn`know, but he felt that a lot of persons would be grateful for his generosity. It was worth a try!

* * *

Two hours later the enormous sledge of Santa Claus was repaired.

It had appeared that Santa Claus had had an accident. The sledge had been damaged in the process, so Riff Raff had been _asked_ to repair it.  
Normally, he would have scowled at it, but this task was different. It was something he could do for someone else than Frank and it was something he could do outside the castle.  
Meanwhile, the others had returned to the castle. Due to the accident, all the presents inside Santa Claus` bag had been damaged. That`s why they collected everything they thought to be a good present and then returned back to Riff Raff.

They all didn`t feel the need for dressing themselves up, but Frank couldn`t resist the urge to take the white-beard`s red coat. Underneath he was still wearing his stockings and heels.

"Alright then, what do we have to do?" Frank asked and played with the birched he had found in the coat`s pocket.  
"We just have to fly around the world and distribute our presents to the children," Columbia explained and hopped into the sledge. "C`mon, we have to hurry!"  
"Fly around the world?" Riff Raff repeated slowly and glared at the groupie.  
"Yes, of course," Columbia shifted anxiously at the seat. "I know we have only three reindeers, but I`m sure we can manage it."  
Riff Raff shook his head in disbelief, but then guided his sister to the sledge.  
"Hey, wait," Frank suddenly shouted and pushed Magenta away. "That`s my seat. Rocky, come here, next to me!"  
Frank took a seat and Rocky followed closely.  
Finally, Magenta and Riff Raff squashed into the seat too and Riff Raff took the reins.  
"What next?" he asked.  
"You just have to spurn the reindeers," Columbia explained and Riff Raff did as he was told.

The sledge was gaining speed very fast and soon they were all gliding through the air.  
"Holy Moons, it works," Riff Raff thought aloud somewhat impressed.  
"... and it`s quite impressive," Magenta admitted without any visible emotion and looked down at the dark trees that were becoming smaller and smaller.  
"... and it`s faster than anything else," Columbia squealed with joy and gave a loud whoop.  
"... yeah, even faster than my bike," Eddie agreed and kissed the groupie out of joy.  
"... and it`s bloody cold," Frank grumbled and snuggled deeper under the covers.  
"... hmpf," Rocky added, mimicking Frank.

A few minutes later, the sledge with all its occupants landed on top of a roof.  
"Time to bring joy to the children," Columbia declared in her ear-splitting voice and hopped out of the sledge.  
The others followed hesitantly as Columbia headed for the chimney.  
"Er... what now?" Riff Raff dared to asked and peered cautiously into the chimney.  
Columbia gave him an inscrutable smile and raised her eyebrows.  
Riff Raff`s eyes widened and he instantly backed away.  
"No," he shook his head. "You can`t be serious."  
"You bet!" the groupie just said and motioned her head to the chimney. "Who wants first?"  
"You want us to jump in there?" Frank also backed away. "We will all get dirty!"  
"... not to forget that we will be done to a turn," Riff Raff added with a _slight _touch of irony and gave Frank a piercing glance.  
"Oh, don`t worry," Columbia explained still smiling. "The soot and fire are unable to harm us. That`s the mystery of Santa Claus and now _we are _Santa Claus."  
The others looked at each other, but none of them moved.  
"One of you guys just _has_ to be the first," Columbia pressed her claim.  
"Alright, alright," Frank gave in and gave Riff Raff a push.

"You`re the first."


	4. Chapter 4

**_Opheliafrump _**_and **Azzi: **Thank you both for your reviews! Sadly, this will be the last chapter of the story, but I hope you will follow the instruction down below just one more time ;)_

**to all of my readers: **Actually, I hate updating stories that fast, but today`s Christmas Eve and I promised it to be a Christmas-story. So here`s the last chapter! Enjoy and review, please! 

_**Oh, I forgot: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to the fabulous Mr. O`Brien.  
I wish him and all of you a Merry Christmas! Enjoy the days with your families! Hevenu Shalom alechem! **_

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Soon all of our beloved main actors were standing in front of a cosy flickering chimney, staring at five persons, which on their part were staring back at the intruders. By the looks of it, it seemed to be an ordinary earthen family: parents and three children.

"Er, who are you?" the man asked.  
"We are Santa Claus!" Columbia beamed with joy and spread her arms.  
"Er, actually _we _are not Santa Claus," she added as she saw the children`s puzzled looks, "but _he _is."  
With that she pointed at Frank who was still staring at the earthlings.  
"Frank," she whispered and gave him a slight nudge. "Go ahead!"

Frank freed himself of petrifaction and moved forward.  
"Well... I think you need your presents," he said bluntly, not knowing what else to do.  
_These were earthlings!  
_Until now he had only used them for his pleasure, but now he had to _give _them pleasure!  
He turned around and motioned Riff Raff to come over. Riff Raff hesitated but did as he was told. He handed the bag that contained the presents over to Frank.  
"Well, let`s see," Frank said and grabbed a present.  
"This one...," he turned to Columbia and shrugged his shoulders.  
"This one`s a present from our lovely elf Magenta," Columbia took the present and gave it to the little girl that was eagerly waiting.  
The blond little girl ripped the present open and glared.  
"Er..., this is... this is some sort of a spray," Magenta explained and knelt down to be at eye-level with the girl. "If you want your hair looking gorgeous all the time, you just have to spray your hair. It`s a special red colour and I`m using it every day," she whispered into the girl`s ear.  
The girl beamed a smile at her and curtseyed politely.

"Well, alright," Frank said, now eager to give his present to a _very _little boy that was standing in front of him. "This one`s for you, my dear."  
The boy took the present and ripped it open, too.  
"Mummy, what`s that?" he asked, holding some fishnet-stockings into the air.  
The mother gasped.  
"That`s... that`s...," she stammered.  
"That`s a very comfortable and stunning looking way to place a greater emphasis on your legs," Frank broke in and smiled at the child. "Just take a look at _my_ beautiful legs."  
With that he removed the coat and stroked his leg with pride.  
The little boy looked stunned at the man`s long leg, but then smiled and sat down to try on the fishnet-stockings.

"Hey, what`s the point of that?" the earthen man suddenly shouted and stormed towards Frank.  
"That`s Christmas," Eddie obstructed him from doing Frank a harm. "Try this!" he said and offered a small bag with white powder inside.  
The man hesitated but then took the bag, observing it sceptically.  
"That`s dope," he concluded and looked sternly up to the big man in front of him.  
Eddie smiled and shook his head.  
"No, that`s freedom," he replied. Then he took the bag and opened it.  
"Just try it!" he demanded and the man hesitantly took a breeze.  
A few seconds later he started to smile.  
"That`s good!" the man agreed and offered it to his wife.  
"No," the wife stated with lifelong conviction.  
"Trust me," the man purred and started to nibble at his wife`s ear. "Oh, you turn me on, my beauty."  
The woman giggled. Then, after a short thinking she took the bag and took a breeze, too.  
A few moments later, she was also nibbling at some delicate body-parts of her beloved husband, leaving the kids and the rest of the world out of her mind.

"Hey you," Columbia turned to another little boy that was standing besides.  
The pale boy glared at her without any emotion and Columbia blinked.  
"Er, Riff Raff, could you take care of that young man?" the groupie stumbled and gave Riff Raff a quick look.  
"Of Course," Riff Raff snarled and shuffled over to the boy.  
"You hate this whole charade, don`t you?" he said and motioned his head.  
The boy just nodded. Riff Raff nodded too and picked something out of the bag.  
"Just use this," he said and offered a present to the boy. "No one will nevermore pester you, believe me."  
The boy took the present without a further word and took himself off into a dark corner where he inspected the rag he`d been given as a present.

"Alright, guys," Columbia suddenly shouted. "I`ve got something for all of us."  
With that she conjured a plate of meatballs from nowhere and Eddie headed at full speed for the dainty.  
"Oh, and Rocky, what do you have?" Columbia asked and smiled at the tall blond plaything.

"Hmpf," Rocky stated proudly and offered a plate of stones...

* * *

No one had ever dared to think of something mundane like this, but this special night our Transylvanians had learned how to lull the earthlings.  
Years of searching had developed that the earthen race could be tricked very easily into believing everything.

Thanks to Christmas!


End file.
